I'm a serial entrepreneur who has raised $145M+ and has had multiple exits. I'm now on a mission to support founders with their capital strategy and acquire the capital they need to grow their businesses. Thunder.vc is a tech-enabled investment bank for founders, by founders. 

When it comes to supporting the founders in our Thunder.vc community, here are some free resources that can help you with your capital-raising efforts. 
- $100M Exits newsletter & Podcast 
- Sign up at http://blog.thunder.vc 
- Free list of AI-recommended VCs specific to your business - https://web.thunder.vc/list-of-investors-vcs-for-founders  
- Free tool to source lending partners for your working capital needs - https://lp.thunder.vc/apply-for-working-capital-for-your-startup-company



Securities are offered through Finalis Securities LLC Member FINRA / SIPC. Thunder X Capital, LLC is not a registered broker-dealer, and Finalis Securities LLC and Thunder X Capital, LLC are separate, unaffiliated entities.

Jason Kirby

I took an entire month off traveling 12,822 miles with my wife and 2 kids... here's what I learned about myself...

I miss working 😅

Jokes aside, family and being the best Dad to my girls, and husband to my wife, are my highest priorities.

Building a great company with great people is #2

It's because I'll never forget meeting a billionaire for the first time in college and having a friend ask him what his biggest regret was in life (he was 89 with $2.5B), the man broke down in tears saying he'd give up all the money if he could have the time back with his kids and first wife. His kids had disowned him and only cared about the money and he was divorced 3 times. He was going to die alone, but filthy rich.

That experience shaped my entire life 20+ years later. I'll never be a billionaire, I won't work as hard as it takes to achieve that level of financial wealth. I won't sacrifice my family for an excess of money and power. 

I chose to slow down during these recent holidays to maximize time with my family and truly be present to make sure I didn't lose sight of my priorities and it was the best decision of 2025.

I hardly took any meetings and only made progress on a few urgent client initiatives. I occasionally had work on my mind, but I felt I truly let go for the first time in a long time. 

I'll never get this time back and despite my passion for my work, family is and will always be #1.

Now I'm feeling refreshed and excited for what Thunder.vc will achieve in 2026 after growing nearly 3x growth YoY in 2025. 

PS: if you've been waiting for me to get back to you on LinkedIn or email for a month, now you know why #sorrynotsorry

4x Exits, $100M+ Raised. Helping founders raise/exit with clarity, control, and conviction.

He went from VC intern to raising $76.5M as a first-time founder. Here’s what no one tells you about that jump.

Most people see the headline:
✅ $3.5M pre-seed0
✅  $13M seed
✅  $60M Series A

What they don’t see is the long-term game of relationship building and how, sometimes, that's not enough.

In the latest $100M Exits episode, Nelson Mills, co-founder of Vatn Systems, breaks down what it actually took to raise $76.5M in under 2.5 years, and why the first fast raise almost created dangerous blind spots.

A few hard-earned truths:
🫢 Raising fast can create false confidence
🤯 Being a former VC helps… until it doesn’t
💸 Capital gives you a shot, not success

If you’re fundraising right now, this episode is a reality check, especially if you're aiming to build a real moonshot. Watch the full episode in the article below or on your favorite podcast platform. Just search for $100M Exits.

Watch the full video here Raising capital looks clean on Twitter. It isn’t. In this episode, Nelson Mills walks through what it actually took to raise

Open article: The Playbook Behind a $76M Journey From VC Intern to Founder by Jason Kirby • 2 min read

The Playbook Behind a $76M Journey From VC Intern to Founder

Warm intros didn’t raise Andrew D'Souza's last round.
AI did.

Andrew is the founder of Boardy, and before that, built ClearCo into a $2.5B company.

When it came time to raise again, he didn’t spin up a spreadsheet of VCs or ask friends for intros.

Instead, his AI product created inbound investor demand.

One firm he’d never heard of:
🤔 Discovered the company organically
🤝 Had their entire partnership talking over a weekend
💸 And moved from first contact → conviction in days

No chasing. No “just circling back.” 

Here’s the uncomfortable truth Andrew breaks down on $100M Exits:

Founders don’t lose because there’s no capital.
They lose because attention is misallocated.

Too many investors chasing the same 50 deals.
Too many great founders stuck outside the room.

AI changes who hears about you, and how they hear about you.
That’s the real leverage.

We unpack the full story, the psychology behind it, and what it means for anyone raising in 2026. Check it out in the link below.

Also, be on the lookout for Boardy to be raising a fund... just a rumor 😉

Watch the full video here AI isn’t just a tool for fundraising; it is becoming the third cofounder. In this episode, Andrew D’Souza shares how Bordy.a

Open article: The Playbook Behind an AI-Led $8M Fundraise by Jason Kirby • 2 min read

The Playbook Behind an AI-Led $8M Fundraise

Here are the 7 lessons from Eric Friedman’s exit every founder should know before selling.

Eric Friedman built eSkill for 20 years before selling it, but not before running into every M&A trap founders fall into.

Here’s the tactical playbook he wishes he’d had:

1️⃣  Don’t trust an LOI until they’ve done real homework.
The best LOI he received came from the buyer who actually analyzed the business in detail.

2️⃣  Always expect a retrade.
If macro conditions change, your price changes; expect it.

3️⃣  Don’t get locked into exclusivity without protection.
Negotiate a mid-process “price reaffirmation.”

4️⃣  If you choose an earnout, make sure it’s revenue-based.
EBITDA earnouts are a death sentence.

5️⃣  Assume you will NOT be running the company post-close.
Your ability to hit targets goes to zero.

6️⃣  Understand your buyer's playbook, not just their offer.
Do they actually get your industry?

7️⃣  Multiple bidders = protection.
It’s the only leverage you have.

This episode is a tactical masterclass in avoiding M&A landmines, based on Eric's story. 

Follow me for more exit stories from experienced founders.

Watch the full video here Eric Friedman spent 20 years bootstrapping eSkill into one of the largest skills-testing platforms online. He ran three full

Open article: The Earnout Trap Every Founder Underestimates by Jason Kirby • 2 min read

The Earnout Trap Every Founder Underestimates

For the love of startups, do NOT take that Shopify (QB, PayPal, etc.) loan… I just watched one kill a founder’s shot at real capital.

I get why founders take them.
- They’re fast.
- No board approval.
- No pitch deck.
- Money hits your account in days.

But here’s the part no one explains 👇

These loans don’t just cost you money.
They cost you options.

This founder had a solid business:
 • $6M revenue
 • Clean margins
 • Predictable revenue
 • Strong growth

They needed short-term working capital.

Shopify offers money in a few clicks.
 • No calls.
 • No covenants.
 • No “bank nonsense.”
 • They take it. ~$500k.

Two weeks later, we introduced them to a Tier 1 lender:
 • Much lower cost of capital
 • 12-month interest-only w/3-year term
 • Scales with the business
 • Designed to be refinanceable or exit-friendly

But then the lender doesn't like Merchant Cash Advances (the correct term for these platform loans); it's a hard pass for them, it's a negative signal.
 • Daily revenue sweeps
 • Senior claim on cash flow at the payment processing level
 
Result?
 ❌ Lender walks
 ❌ Term sheet pulled
 ❌ Founder stuck w/ waiting until the MCA is paid off to create new options

The “easy” loan made the company unbankable.

Here’s the part founders miss 👇

These platform loans don’t compete with banks.
They compete with your future self.

They’re fine if:
 • You’ll never raise debt again
 • You don’t care about lender quality
 • You don’t plan to sell or refinance

But if you want:
 • Tier 1 lenders
 • Institutional debt
 • PE or strategic buyers
 • Real leverage in negotiations

These loans quietly shut those doors.

🔥Hot take 🔥
The most expensive capital is the capital that blocks better capital.

Before you click “accept,” ask:
“What will this look like to a serious lender in 6 months?”

If you’re a founder and unsure what capital path actually keeps options open, drop a comment or DM me.

I’d rather you be slower than stuck. 😉

You know you're deeply connected to the startup ecosystem when you start...

Recognizing the names on the testimonials section of a new company pitching you 😅

Not long ago, I would be looking at a new deck or website for a company asking for money that caught my eye, and I'd always think the testimonials were total BS or made up, especially for pre-seed companies.

But recently, I'm coming across so many testimonials from different startups where I actually know the person referenced in the testimonial, and they're legit. 🫡

I've been investing and advising for 5+ years now and have on average 25+ external meetings a week, averaging over 1000+ meetings a year. 

I guess it was inevitable that this would start to happen. 

For 2026, one of my goals is to make 1,000 intros, if there's someone you want to know that I'm connected to, tag them in the comments below or DM me and I'll do my best to make that happen. 

Fair warning, if I don't know you and you ask for the intro, I will require a call at the minimum befote making any intros. 

Also, if you're on the receiving end of my intros, don't worry, I'll only send stuff that's highly likely to be relevant.

Bill Gurley laid out exactly what startups get wrong, and it’s brutal.
VCs can smell these mistakes from a mile away.

Bill Gurley doesn’t waste words.

At the PEF Community ChapterX event last month, he broke down the 3 biggest things startups consistently get wrong.

1️⃣ Outsourcing product to dev shops
“If your plan is to hire a dev shop, you’re dead on arrival with VCs.”

Why? It screams that you can’t attract technical talent. Founders need builders, not vendors.

2️⃣ Filling boards with ‘career’ members who don’t think
Too many boards are stacked with audit/comp committee types.

Gurley: “They don’t bring independent thought… they bring peer review.”

Great boards lead. They challenge you, not just check boxes.

3️⃣ Hiring compensation consultants
His Munger quote says it all:

“I’d rather put a viper down my shirt than hire a compensation consultant.”

If your board can’t figure out how to pay people without a 3rd party deck… It’s the wrong board.

Startups don’t fail because they’re not working hard enough.

They fail because they set up the game wrong from day one.

👉 Attract a real team.
🧠 Build a board that thinks.
💸 Align incentives in-house.

Do that, and you’ve already outperformed most of your competition.

Most founders would kill for this headline:
Bootstrapped to $100M+ in revenue. No VCs.

But that wasn’t the end of the story...

Matthew Whyatt built a software business from age 22 and scaled it to over $100M in sales. From the outside, it looked like the dream. Inside, the foundations were weaker than anyone realized.

In our latest $100M Exits episode, Matt breaks down:

🥸  Why revenue success can mask real risk
😵 How founder instincts quietly destroy value
😨 The moment the business started to unravel

This is not a flex episode. It’s a post-mortem.

If you’re scaling fast and assuming the exit will sort itself out, read this before you repeat the same mistakes.

Watch the full video here Matthew Whyatt built a software business from scratch, bootstrapped it, and scaled it past $100M in total revenue. From the 

Open article: How a Founder Bootstrapped to $100M Without VC and Why It Fell Apart by Jason Kirby • 2 min read

How a Founder Bootstrapped to $100M Without VC and Why It Fell Apart

Pitch 4 Impact Inc

Pitch 4 Impact is a program created to equip founders with the essential skills and tools to secure capital from investors:

- create a compelling pitch narrative 
- craft a pitch deck that grabs attention 
- present with confidence and impact

Drawing from my experience as both an angel investor and a presentation skills trainer, I've designed content that directly addresses the unique challenges of pitching. The goal is to make your pitch both powerful and efficient.

Having listened to thousands of pitches as an angel investor, I have identified what resonates and what falls flat, understanding precisely what investors want to hear. Additionally, I bring extensive experience in training leaders and teams worldwide to deliver impactful presentations, having with people from all over the world in various industries.

Pitch Trainer, Pitch Coach, Angel Investor

Sather Robinson Consulting 

Dana helps leaders  give pitches and presentations with impact, clarity, and authenticity. With over 20 years of experience in training and marketing, she works with her clients to tailor solutions that best suit them. 

Pitch coaching to entrepreneurs who are actively raising money: Dana helps CEOs to give pitches with impact, clarity, and authenticity, even online. Dana has a unique combination of expertise as both an investor and a trainer so that the content is tailored to the needs of the audience and the pitch is engaging.

Presentation skills training and consulting: Dana’s unique and interactive training provides leaders the skills to give powerful presentations. Dana emphasizes how to make the most of natural conversational styles - whether in a large group, small meeting and even on line – to be memorable and keep listeners engaged.

Owner, trainer, pitch coach

Element 8 Angels

Active member and committee member of E8 (formerly known as Element 8), an innovative cleantech angel investing group. Dana is frequently a pitch coach for CEOs seeking funding. E8 helps early-stage cleantech companies whose innovations will increase the sustainability and health of our planet. We meld our pursuit of profitable investments with our pursuit of a higher purpose – accelerating the transition to a cleaner future and a better world.

Member

Communications Training

Pitch coaching to entrepreneurs in money raising a stage. 
Presentation skills and selling skills training.
Communications consulting and training.

Communications Consultant and Trainer

Active Communication Ltd

Pitch training and consulting: worked with a large financial institution to develop new client pitches with customer focused content and interactive delivery.
Communication skills training: Facilitated tailored program to several teams at a European bank.
Presentation skills training: Provided specialized training in presentation skills to service companies and charities.

Sr. Consultant,

Silkstone Capital Management

Marketing and Communications Consultant

Active Communication

Presentation skills training: to business executives and management teams.
Selling skills training: Developed and facilitated selling skills program for the sales team of international publishing company.
Conducted consulting and coaching on communication issues and important presentations.

Senior Consultant

Lynx Pacific Limited

Developed and delivered cross-cultural training for executives moving to Hong Kong (while based in Sydney, Australia in 2001).
Communications consulting and presentation skills training to executives and leaders in Hong Kong. 
Marketing consulting - Assisted American, Asian and European companies in developing markets in Asia.
Key projects: 
Developed and implemented marketing plan and successful launch of French food products.
Organized Asia-wide direct mail campaign for a regional publication.
Co-ordinated regional sales for European spirits manufacturer.

Marketing Consultant

Dana helps founders to give pitches with impact, clarity, and authenticity. She works with founders raising their seed or Series A and up rounds to give great pitches to the right investors. 

Dana has a unique combination of expertise as both an investor and a professional trainer. 

A diversity of life and work experience gives Dana unique perspectives. She has lived in several different countries and worked with people and teams in companies from a broad spectrum of sectors – from large financial companies to cleantech entrepreneurs. This breadth and depth gives Dana the ability to help you craft messages that resonate and to teach you to communicate them with impact and authenticity.

Dana emphasizes how to make the most of your natural conversational style - whether in a large group, small meeting and even on line – to be memorable and keep your listeners engaged.

Dana Sather Robinson

Most founders pitch like they’re talking to themselves.

The best ones pitch like they’re giving a gift. 

An investor-focused mindset means your pitch isn’t really about you — it’s about them.
When you give a gift, you don’t choose what you like.
 You choose what they’ll value.
The same rule applies to pitching:
 • Growth over features
 • Clarity over complexity
 • Outcomes over excitement

A great pitch feels thoughtful, relevant, and impossible to ignore — because it speaks directly to what investors care about.
So here’s the real question: does your pitch feel like a gift… or a presentation?

#InvestorMindset #StartupTips #ElevatorPitch #FounderAdvice #InvestorRelations #PitchPerfect #Entrepreneurship

An overwhelmed investor is a "no." 

A big mistake founders make is filling their pitch with way too much information. 

Make it easy for investors to understand what you do. 

A clear, targeted pitch that anticipates their priorities can get you a second meeting.

The key: Understanding what investors want means you can answer the questions that are on their mind, those that actually drive their funding decisions.

Learn how in this workshop: "What Investors Really Want In a Pitch."

You will learn:

✔️  7 essentials for a winning pitch
✔️  What investors are thinking
✔️  Pitch prep: Where to begin

Hosted by Seattle Angel Conference  

Link to sign up is in the comments. 

#fundraise #pitchdeck #investorpitch John Sechrest

I’ve sat through countless pitches — and most founders don’t lose investors because their product isn’t strong.

They lose them because they pitch features instead of vision.

Investors aren’t asking:
❌ “How does every feature work?”

They’re asking:
✅ “Is this big?”
✅ “Can this scale?”
✅ “Do I trust this founder to win?”

That’s why I’m excited about this session:
“What Investors Really Want In a Pitch”
Hosted by Seattle Angel with angel investor & pitch trainer Dana Sather Robinson

If you’re fundraising (or planning to), this is about sharpening your message so it actually resonates — not just sounds impressive.

🗓️ Jan 20 | Live, online
🎟️ Free to attend

If you want to know what investors are actually listening for, not what founders think matters, join us live.
Link in the comments.

#pitchdeck #investorpitch #venturecapital #pitching #fundraising #pitch4impact #innovation #entrepreneurship #publicspeaking #storytelling

Dana Sather Robinson and 20 other attendees

View event: What Investors Really Want In a Pitch

Good tech does not translate to a good pitch.

Had a great conversation with Ed Barker about brilliant tech founders and investor pitches.

We covered the top mistakes that tech founders make and how to fix them.

BTW, this photo is not me!

I am wondering why Jonathan Azoff got a cute goat picture and I didn't. Hmmm.

#pitchdeck #investorpitch #founders #venturecapital #pitching #fundraising

Founder @ Studio 1878 | Podcast studio founder 🎤 | Former VC

🎤 New Sound Investments pod. Founders lose investors in the first few mins of a pitch. Not because the tech isn't good. 

Often because they start with features, instead of the problem they're solving.

That's the topic on this week's Sound Investments podcast. 

Dana Sather Robinson has watched this happen for a decade. As founder of Pitch4Impact, she's coached hundreds of tech founders who had transformative technology but couldn't get investors to understand why it mattered.

The mistake?

Diving into what you're building before establishing: 
→ Why it matters 
→ Who will buy it
→ How big the opportunity is

Here's what we discuss: The pitch isn't just about fundraising. It's a signal of leadership ability. Can the founder recruit talent? Close customers? Inspire belief?

VCs screen for this. Weak communication = red flag.

But communication is learnable.

This week on Sound Investments, Dana breaks down:
- Why "PowerPoint poisoning" kills your pitch
- How Q&A reveals whether you understand your business
- Why eighth-grade language works for even sophisticated investors

🎧 Episode: https://pod.fo/e/37821f
📻 Sub: https://lnkd.in/g6k-nfaA
📝 Deep dive: https://lnkd.in/ggNNi3dA

taplio

The Battle

Jason Kirby

Dana Sather Robinson

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreJason Kirby's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreDana Sather Robinson's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Jason Kirby

Dana Sather Robinson

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Jason Kirby's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreDana Sather Robinson's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreJason Kirby's LinkedIn Performance